Dome Sweet Dome at Antietam. Relax, Naturally!

We are local, & live right next door to the rental (500 feet away). Chuck a Veteran & civil servant, & Emily is a manual therapist with a small private practice. Emily is a lifelong naturalist who grew up in Austin, Texas. She & Chuck met doing martial arts, & have lived in Indiana, & Bavaria together. Chuck served in the US Army, then as a DOD civilian. Emily is a Fascial Fitness trainer, & mechanic for the human body, trained in Rolfing® structural integration & osteopathic manual technique, in Germany & the US. If you would like a "trail tuneup" a Fascial Fitness session (we provide mats & foam rollers) or nature & bird walk, let us know (subject to availability).
The property has been Emily's experiment, since 2015. You may notice that there is less underbrush, & there are a lot of small trees in cages (built by Chuck). The land is "in rehab" systematically suppressing invasive olive, honeysuckle & Ailanthus. Emily also sprays poison ivy & ragweed (can't get all of it, so be careful!). Chuck mows paths, & the clear area to the East of the rental, the rest we leave in meadow, for butterflies, birds & pollinators. Many of the young trees are white oak, a keystone species long missing from the local ecosystem. There are wild black raspberry & honeysuckle vines, as well as lemon balm, thyme & sage plants, for use in drinks, & cooking.

All new construction, single level with wide doors & step-in shower. We have a Level 2 E-vehicle charger, and adapters- we’re one of very few short term rental with one.
The main room has a barrel ceiling with lots of natural light. French doors lead to an expansive patio with fire pit surrounded by a native plant garden. You will be looking out over Elk Ridge, & the confluence of Antietam Creek & the Potomac River. There are meadows to the East & South. There is a mowed area to run & play in, & meadows for wildlife habitat. We have planted nearly 300 native trees & shrubs, & protected them with circles of fencing. Why? You will probably see some whitetail deer- tree browse is a large part of their diet. The invasive plants choking most forests in the MidAtlantic (olive, honeysuckle & Ailanthus) aren’t their favorite. Their ancestral foods must taste wonderful to them, because they will destroy every young tree, if they can. You may notice that our woods are not as infested with these introduced plants, as the surrounding properties. This is about a decade of persistent work. Every year, we see MORE birds, & MORE butterflies, while many places see less. It’s true, that if you build it, they will come! 🦋